Canada Issues 3,000 Invitations in First Express Entry Trades Draw of 2026
Draw Details and Eligibility
IRCC issued 3,000 invitations to apply for permanent residence to candidates in the Express Entry Trades Occupations category on April 2, 2026. The minimum CRS cutoff for this draw was set at 477, and candidates were required to meet the following criteria:
- An Express Entry profile created before 8:53 p.m. Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) on February 14, 2026;
- Qualifying work experience in an eligible trades occupation.
First Draw Under Updated Requirements
This draw carries particular significance as the first Trades selection conducted after IRCC updated the category's eligibility criteria earlier this year. Effective February 18, 2026, the minimum work experience requirement for the Trades Occupations category was raised from six months to twelve months (one year). Candidates must now demonstrate at least one year of full-time work experience — or an equivalent amount of part-time experience — in an eligible trade within the past three years. This experience may have been gained in Canada or abroad.
IRCC has designated Trades Occupations as a priority category for Express Entry in both 2025 and 2026, reflecting the sustained demand for skilled tradespeople in the Canadian labour market. The 3,000 ITAs issued in this single round represent a sharp increase compared to 2025, when the entire year saw only 1,250 invitations in this category.
Express Entry Draws in 2026: A Broader View
A review of IRCC's Express Entry activity in 2026 reveals a clear strategic focus on immigration candidates already present in Canada, particularly those holding provincial nominations or possessing Canadian work experience. As of April 2, IRCC has conducted 20 Express Entry draws across the following categories:
- Provincial Nominee Program (PNP): 7 draws
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC): 6 draws
- French-language proficiency: 3 draws
- Physicians with Canadian work experience: 1 draw
- Healthcare and social services: 1 draw
- Senior Managers with Canadian work experience: 1 draw
- Trades Occupations: 1 draw
2026 ITA Distribution by Category
A total of 58,830 ITAs have been issued in 2026 to date, distributed as follows:
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC): 30,250
- French-language proficiency: 18,000
- Healthcare and social services: 4,000
- Trades Occupations: 3,000
- Provincial Nominee Program (PNP): 2,939
- Physicians with Canadian work experience: 391
- Senior Managers with Canadian work experience: 250
The data shows that the Canadian Experience Class and French-language proficiency categories together account for more than 80 percent of all invitations issued, highlighting IRCC's 2026 policy direction of prioritizing candidates with Canadian experience and French-language skills.
Friendly reminder: There are many pathways to immigrate to Canada. We recommend first using UNA AI to generate an objective and neutral immigration plan, so you can gain an initial understanding of the possible immigration pathways and their requirements, and then choose to proceed with one-on-one consultations with a licensed Canadian immigration consultant partnered with UNA.
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Canada Moves to Overhaul Express Entry: Three Federal Skilled Immigration Programs May Be Merged Into a Single New Class
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Canada Issues 3,000 Invitations in First Express Entry Trades Draw of 2026
On April 2, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted the year's first category-based Express Entry draw targeting Trades Occupations, issuing 3,000 invitations to apply (ITAs) with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 477. The draw marks a significant milestone as the first Trades selection since IRCC raised the minimum work experience requirement from six months to one year in February 2026, and represents the twentieth Express Entry draw of the year. Notably, the 3,000 ITAs issued in this single draw already exceed the 1,250 total issued under the Trades category throughout all of 2025, underscoring IRCC's growing emphasis on skilled tradespeople. With 58,830 ITAs issued across all categories in 2026 so far, the Canadian Experience Class and French-language proficiency categories continue to account for the largest share.
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IRCC Wraps Up March with 2,250 Invitations in Canadian Experience Class Draw
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Canada Issues Hundreds of Express Entry Invitations to Provincial Nominees
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03/28/2026
